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When someone rings your doorbell, wouldn’t it be nice to see who it is clearly before you answer the door? A doorbell camera might be an answer! With one in place, you can now see who is at your door, whether it’s a delivery, a salesman, or one of your kid’s friends.

A lot of recent doorbell cameras are also wireless doorbell cameras. These are much easier to install and monitor. Usually, they connect to an app on your phone, so you can see through the camera no matter where you are. You can set these apps to give you an alert when the doorbell camera spots someone if it has motion detection. Some versions of wireless doorbell cameras have two-way audio, meaning that you could use it to let someone know to come in or to leave their package if you can’t come to the door. If you have windows next to or in your front door, using a doorbell camera means you can now block or shade them for more security without blocking your view of the door.

However, before you buy a doorbell camera, make sure you have good wireless signal in the outside area where you plan on installing it. If the Wi-Fi doesn’t reach that far or is very weak or spotty, a wireless doorbell camera is not the best choice. If your home already has a doorbell, you’re going to have to cover it or otherwise indicate that visitors should ring the one integrated with the wireless doorbell camera. If you prefer your normal doorbell, a better solution might be to stick a regular wireless security camera near your door. Doorbell cameras are not cheap throwaway items, so you might want to secure them well to prevent theft.

Here are some of the best camera doorbells on the market right now. There is a wide variety of designs, each with own features, pros, and cons. Take a look and see if one of these is right for your DIY home security system.

This doorbell camera captures video in 720p. It offers two-way audio with noise canceling as well as good night vision. It connects to an app and will alert you when its motion detection is triggered. The video feed can be shared between up to 4 devices at the same time. This doorbell camera is battery powered by default by two 18650 batteries which will run up 8 to 12 months if it’s regularly taking video. You can also wire it to AC 14-24V input, possibly replacing your old normal doorbell, but be aware it has no adapter included.

Pros

Not having any cords is great. You don’t need to worry about the proximity of electrical outlets when you place this doorbell camera.

You can customize a lot of settings on this camera, including motion detections sensitivity, ring loudness, and intercom volume.

This camera is very easy to install. The batteries are included, so open the package, pop the batteries in, connect the camera, download the app, and it will start working.

You can view and store recorded videos without subscribing to anything.

This is at least half as cheap as comparable products.

Cons

This is not weatherproofed. Make sure it is located in an area that’s sheltered from water.

This won’t replace your existing doorbell, so you may have to invest in some more hardware to create a complete replacement.

Conclusion

This is a great camera doorbell if you’re looking to save money. It has a lot of great features, requires absolutely no cords, and is half the price of other wireless doorbell cameras with many of the same qualities.

This doorbell camera records in HD. It comes with two-way audio, motion detection, and night vision. It connects to your mobile device view an app you can access anywhere and that will alert you if the motion sensor detects anything. You can use this app to set custom motion zones. This doorbell is available in four finishes: antique brass, polished brass, satin nickel, Venetian bronze, and white. You can screw mount this doorbell using the included tool kit. This doorbell camera can run on batteries or be wired into your home’s power. The batteries can be recharged using an included USB cord. The camera is weather-resistant.

Pros

The multiple finishes are a great feature because it means that the doorbell will fit in with your home. Whether you have an old-fashioned doorway or a modern home, one of them will look perfectly natural.

The included mounting kit makes installation very easy.

Cons

The chime only sounds outside. You can solve this by buying a Ring chime addition and linking it to the doorbell, but that’s just more money you have to spend.

Some people find that the motion sensitivity is all over the place. It can pick up cars much easier than people at your door. Double-check your motion detection settings.

If you want cloud storage, you’ll have to pay. The plans are very cheap, but you will still have to pay something.

The battery will drain much faster in cold weather.

Conclusion

This is a nice doorbell camera, though it does have its issues. It’s generally pretty reliable. If you want to use it to its best, you’ll have to pay for the subscription. The cold weather battery issue is a serious detriment if you leave in an area with chilly winters.

This doorbell camera records in 1080p and offers 5x zoom. It has two-way audio, motion detection, and night vision. You can view the video feed at any time through an app on your mobile device since it is always on. This doorbell needs to be mounted in place of your existing doorbell or otherwise linked up to your home’s power. It comes in bronze and silver. You can adjust many settings on this doorbell camera, including the Led color, volume of the chime, and the sound of the outdoor chime

Pros

The video is really great quality. You get color video both day and night.

There is no subscription to use all the features of this doorbell camera.

This device can be used with Alexa and will tie into the Nest app. This doorbell camera is designed to be integrated with Nest security cameras.

Cons

Because this camera links to your old doorbell and does not use batteries, the installation process is a bit more elaborate. The included instructions and parts make it much easier—they’ve even included the correctly sized drill bit— but it isn’t as simple as battery-powered doorbell cameras. It’s also more permanent, so if you decide you don’t like it, it will be more of a pain to uninstall and will leave a mark.

It may not work with your home’s wiring. Be sure to check before investing in this doorbell camera.

Conclusion

This is a solid choice for a doorbell camera. It is more permanent than many others and you will have to make sure you can use it with your wiring, but it is also very reliable and records in really high quality. If you’re considering using a Nest security system or already have one, this doorbell integrates easily with that system.

This Zmodo wireless doorbell camera record in 720p. It has two-way audio, night vision, and motion detection. It connects to an app and you can subscribe to 24/7 recording as well as 36 hours of cloud storage. It will alert you when the motion detection is triggered with or without the subscription. You can also record a voice message for visitors. This doorbell is weatherized. It also includes a Wi-Fi extender so that you can be sure the doorbell camera is always fully functional. It will need to be wired into your home for power.

Pros

The weatherization of this doorbell camera means that you can use it even if your doorway is not protected from rain.

While you can certainly subscribe to Zmodo’s service, you don’t have to. The motion detection will still send alerts to the app and you can still look through the camera.

Cons

Check to see if your home’s wiring system is compatible with this doorbell camera.

The motion detection sensitivity can’t really be modified.

Sometimes the camera will lag behind the motion detection a bit.

If you’re looking for a smarter doorbell, this is a decent choice. It’s tough enough to be used in areas that experience regular rain. If you live on a busy street, however, you might find yourself getting constant motion detection alerts.

The iseeBell records in 720p. It includes two-way audio, motion detection, night vision, and an indoor chime. The app this camera connects with provides the ability to view videos and speak with visitors. The cloud recording is available for free. You will need to wire this into your home for power. There is a mounting kit included for easier setup. It has very wide fisheye angle lens. You can adjust the sound and volume of the chime through the app.

Pros

The design is very sleek and everything about this device is trying to look like an Apple version of a smart doorbell. It’s smaller than many other doorbell cameras, as well.

While the fisheye lens will take some getting used to, it will allow you to see visitors’ faces very well and also get a wide view of the area in front of your door. An interesting feature of this is that you can tilt your phone side to side to get a wider look at the video.

There are some very unique doorbell chimes, including the Titanic theme.

The motion detection is noticeably better than many other similar products. There are generally fewer recording lag issues.

The customer service is really great. If you’re having issues setting it up, the technicians will stay on the phone with you throughout the whole process.

Cons

Instead of a normal button, people have to push a small blue musical note symbol to ring the doorbell. This can be hard to figure out.

Conclusion

This is a really great little doorbell camera for the price. The only real downside to it is how hard it can be for people to find the doorbell. You may want to hand a sign next to it to let them know.

This doorbell camera records in 720 p and has motion detection, night vision, and two-way audio. It needs to be wired into your home for power. It has a very wide view and a fisheye lens. It connects to a mobile app. You can turn the motion sensor off through this app. It has a more square design than many other doorbell cameras. You can subscribe to Netvue’s 24/7 recording and 7-day long cloud storage service. The doorbell camera comes with a free 7-day trial of this service.

Pros

This device has Alexa compatibility.

The fisheye lens will give you a very good view of your visitors’ faces. Its wide angle will offer a good view of your porch and/or front yard.

Cons

There is no button on this doorbell. Instead, people ring it by pressing the little blue bell symbol. This is not intuitive for a lot of people and may confuse them.

Use of the app can be a bit counterintuitive. It can be clunky.

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Conclusion

For a cheaper video doorbell, this works very well. Its odder features, like the lack of a doorbell button, can be a bit off-putting for some people, but it captures decent video for a price that won’t break your budget.

A doorbell camera can be the perfect addition to your DIY home security system. It will allow you to see who’s at your door without having open windows, or evens showing that you are at home. As you can see, there are a lot of options with a variety of designs and different price points. Look into your home’s existing wiring if you’re thinking about any of the ones above since so many require it in order to work.

If you already have an outdoor wireless security camera system, adding another camera as a part of your doorbell makes for a great extra camera. This way, you can place a camera somewhere else instead of your doorway, since the doorbell camera already covers it. Consider how adding a doorbell camera to your DIY home security system will help keep your home safe.